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Personally, I never horn if it's clear I can't see anyone coming through and it's a a rural spot. Although Orca's horn is a bit loud. (and the others too quiet). I do horn though down south where there's more flow and I'm making it clear I'm coming through if you like it or not (I.e I have priority and there's little chance of me turning away).

What's your thinking around this request, have you had a near miss?

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No not had a bridge near miss but I rarely sound the horn as I think it would be a pain for people living (or moored) near a bridge. Like you I would use it if moving with the flow and spot a boat coming the other way. Although my son is always keen to sound the horn and always says "Dad you must do as the sign tells you !"

John

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I can't recall Potter Heigham Bridge pilots ever using the horn on our boat, they seem to have a sixth sense if there is something the other side (I hope!) I want them to have both hands on the controls whilst mine are over my eyes. Although honestly, I have complete faith in them.

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Now I am confuzzled I distinctly remember hearing the Horns going whilst sitting with a nice cool beer at the Bridge Inn at PH when both the Hoseasons and the HW Blakes pilot - assume he was a HW employee then - were going back n forth.

Iain

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I'm a horn sounder, Ludham and Wroxham both have poor visibility and a blast on the horn will let people know your coming, Wroxham especially can be a pain with day boats suddenly appearing from nowhere and forcing you to try and abort a bridge passage.

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I'm a horn sounder, Ludham and Wroxham both have poor visibility and a blast on the horn will let people know your coming, Wroxham especially can be a pain with day boats suddenly appearing from nowhere and forcing you to try and abort a bridge passage.

I'll go along with that, also we have seen boats turn just metres in front of the bridge at both Potter and Wroxham

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In ten years of piloting at Potter Heigham Bridge with up to fifteen thousand passages a season, I can assure you that I never sounded the horn unless to do so was safe. From memory Lowliners being taken through from the upper helm position were the exception. They were also eqipped with a lower than usual frequency horn whose note actually travelled some distance. In the case of most boats the horn button was too far removed from the wheel to be a safe proposition. Most hire boat horns were inaudible within feet of the boat let alone the other side of a stone bridge.

As far as horn signals are concerned - worse than useless. Try sounding your horn four times in busy traffic going through Horning and watch the reaction from your fellow boaters. Those that don't look totally confused will be on the point of uncontrollable river rage that you dared to pip your horn at them.

5

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Does that not give an indication of the basic disciplines that are ignored on the Broads. Is it any wonder that we see and read about serious incidents on the Broads. Sooner, rather than later we are going to get a wake up call and then and only then, will we put into practice the principles and standards which will go some way in addressing the issues that cause us concern.